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Honestly, I don’t know why this wasn’t the first city I tackled. I mean, I lived here for FOUR YEARS.

The thing about LA, though, is that it’s huge and sprawling.

LA From Griffith Park

The sheer size and variety make it a really difficult place to talk about in a single blog post because there is so much of it. And each part has so many wonderful things to talk about. So, I confine myself to West LA (which is Beverley Hills, Westwood, Brentwood, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, Culver City, Century City… this list goes on).

As a woman who has always loved things like clothes and shoes and handbags, West LA has amazing, amazing things. The shopping is incredible. Of course, as a woman who lived here as a university student, I did a lot of window shopping and drooling over things at the Century City Mall, where I was lucky enough to work for a year or so. But there’s also the Beverley Center, 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica, the rest of Santa Monica and Venice Beach, the Grove(which has an American Girl store that I still get excited about as a childless twenty-something) and LA Farmers Market, and, obviously if you have the big bucks, Rodeo Drive.

Bev Hills

Eating is also a huge thing in LA. There’s dineLA, which offers set menus for reduced prices at lovely restaurants all over the city and is the only way to eat well as a poverty stricken undergrad. People are OBSESSED with food porn, though. I can’t remember the last time I ate in LA without witnessing someone either in my group or at a nearby table taking pictures of their food. Things that stand out about food in LA for me: Mexican food (otherwise known as “food” in California), sushi, cupcakes, and the all important brunch. If you’re visiting LA and don’t go to Sprinkles for a cupcake, by the way, you’ve made a huge life mistake.

Drrrroooooooolllllll

I know you’re all thinking at this point, THE BEACH, LEIGH, THE BEACH. Okay, okay, I’ll give it to you. The beaches are incredible. Go to literally any of them and realize that it’s not only beautiful, but a film or tv show you’ve seen has also been shot there. Santa Monica is my personal favorite. I mean, look at it.

Santa Monica with your favorite bloggers

The city is full of everything you could ever want to see. If you like drinking, there are SO MANY GOOD BARS. There are play houses and huge, old movie theaters and ballet companies and sunshine and museums…

If only the traffic were always like this

Have you been to LA? Dreaming of going? What do you love (or think you’ll love) about the city?